Published: 05/12/2011

Those who travel frequently for work or pleasure need to have easy and secure access to their bank account. It’s important not to carry large amounts of cash, particularly when travelling alone. In large cities with high crime rates, travellers may prefer not to carry cash at all. Chip cards provide the flexibility to pay for transport, shopping or dining without the insecurity of having to carry cash.

Banks can provide international debit cards that are accepted globally, both at ATMs and by vendors, and so travellers can take their banks in Dubai to North America, Australia and around the world. In most cases, this means simply looking for the VISA or logo related to the bank in question. When travellers withdraw cash from their debit cards in other countries, transactions are directed to their bank accounts.

One benefit of an international debit card is that if it’s lost or stolen, it can be reported to the traveller’s bank and cancelled immediately. The bank can also arrange a replacement card so that there’s no need to be stranded in a foreign country without access to funds. If a card is misplaced, it’s also important to report it lost or stolen as soon as possible. This can usually be done telephonically or via email to the bank’s emergency helpline. Banks advise that travellers retain their transaction slips in order to cross check with their bank statement on returning home.

Debit cards are protected by pin numbers that are easy to remember but difficult for others to guess. This PIN verifies a traveller’s identity at ATMs and retail outlets and completes the transaction, thus it’s important to memorise this number without writing it down, and not to tell others over the phone or on the Internet.

By using magnetic strips or chip cards, travellers can have safe, convenient, international access to their bank accounts without troubling to carry the cash.